


Reciprocal Affection

by phantomthief_fee



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Lacie is the only one who gets to tease Bertram without retaliation, Originally Posted on Tumblr, and she takes full advantage of this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22433254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomthief_fee/pseuds/phantomthief_fee
Summary: Lacie comforts Bertram after another difficult day working for Joey Drew
Relationships: Lacie Benton/Bertrum Piedmont
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Reciprocal Affection

**[lovelykitten2017](https://lovelykitten2017.tumblr.com/) asked: Do you think you could write some bertrum x Lacie fluff please? :3**

Oh, absolutely! I love that pair

* * *

Lacie had broken her toe and had to stay home, which she hated. It hadn’t even been her fault. She’d been explaining proper safety procedure to the morons in the warehouse _for the millionth time_ when one of them had dropped a heavy piece of machinery right onto her foot. The doctor had told her that her toe was broken and she had to stay off it for a certain amount of time.

Which meant she was on bed rest for the foreseeable future. Lacie absolutely hated not being busy, so she’d tried to go to work anyway. But Bertram, every the worrywart, had insisted she stay home while she was healing. Lacie had been ready to argue, however, one look at Bertram’s worried face had swayed her.

Currently, she was trying to make her way through one of the books Bertram had bought her the other day to entertain herself. It was alright, but she was finding it hard to concentrate as her mind kept going to the chaos she was sure the warehouse employees were causing in her absence. She groaned to herself, resting her head on the back of the couch. She was going to lose her mind out of boredom before this whole bed rest thing was over. Well, at least she could tease Bertram a little since she’d propped her cast up on the coffee table.

Suddenly, the front door slammed open. Lacie looked up, one eyebrow raised. Bertram stood in the doorway looking positively livid.

“Rough day?” Lacie asked. Bertram made a vaguely affirmative grunt, yanking off his shoes and slamming his coat onto the coat rack.

“Alright, c’mere.” Lacie put down her book, gesturing Bertram over. Almost immediately, Bertram beelined over, inserting himself into her lap with practiced ease. It didn’t take long for him to be curled up against her, their bodies slotting together like puzzle pieces.

“Joey again?” Lacie began to stroke his hair. Bertram just nodded, burying his face further into her chest.

Lacie sighed to herself. If there was one thing that reliably got under Bertram’s skin, it was someone belittling his work. Part of his arrogance came from genuine confidence in what he did. He truly believed in his capabilities and hated it when people suggested he wasn’t as good as he thought he was. Unfortunately, Joey had picked up on this rather quickly and abused this weak point for all it was worth.

“He’s a moron, you know,” Lacie said, pressing a kiss to the top of Bertram’s head. “You shouldn’t listen to him.”

“Easier said than done,” Bertram grumbled into her chest.

“Fair enough.” Lacie chuckled. “Still, he **is** a moron.”

“Indeed.” Bertram allowed himself a chuckle as well. “The changes he requests make no sense. He doesn’t know the first thing about mechanical engineering!”

“Doesn’t know the first thing about much of anything aside from spewing horseshit.” Lacie snorted.

“Now that’s certainly true!” Bertram laughed again and Lacie smiled.

She liked Bertram’s laugh. It was loud and booming, the definition of a belly laugh. She was one of the only people who ever got to hear it. After all, Bertram had a reputation to uphold and a persona he seldom broke in public. Lacie always felt a certain degree of satisfaction at the fact that she got to see a side to Bertram that no one else did. Hearing his laughter and seeing his genuine smile was special because it was only for her.

“You know, if he bothers you that much, maybe we should just quit,” she said after Bertram had stopped laughing. “It’s not like you’re hurting for clients.”

“I know that. I just…” He trailed off, his face going a bit pink.

“You don’t want to let him win.” Lacie finished.

“…Yes.” Bertram mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

“Oh, Bertie.” Lacie laughed wearily, ruffling his hair. She loved him, but he could be such a stubborn ass when it came to matters of pride.

“Don’t use that tone of voice!” Bertram protested, his face getting even redder. “That’s your pity tone of voice!”

“You know I don’t do pity.” Lacie gave him an incredulous look.

“It sure **feels** like pity.”

“It’s not pity.” Lacie flicked his nose. “I just think you’re an idiot when it comes to your pride.”

Bertram rubbed his nose but didn’t argue with her. It was never wise to get into an argument with Lacie Benton because you **would** lose.

“You don’t have to win every battle, Bertie.” Lacie’s voice went soft, her expression weary. She looked older like this.

“I know that,” Bertram said, hunching his shoulders.

“Do you?” Lacie asked. “Because sometimes I think you’re physically incapable of accepting loss in any form.” She put her hand on his. “I don’t want you to get hurt because you refuse to lose.”

“I won’t get hurt,” Bertram said, uncharacteristically quiet. “I promise.”

“You better not. Because if you die, I will personally walk into Hell to drag your soul back here.” The corners of Lacie’s lips twitched up into a smirk.

“What makes you think I’d go to Hell?!” Bertram demanded, which only made Lacie’s smirk grow even more.

“Oh, I think you know why.” Her voice dropped to a low purr, which made Bertram go bright red.

“I-I’m going to go make myself some tea,” he said, standing up. “Do you need anything?”

“I wouldn’t mind some tea.” Lacie leaned back on the couch.

Bertram quickly scurried off to the kitchen, his legs shaking a bit as he did. Lacie grinned to herself. She loved it when he got flustered.

**Author's Note:**

> Lacie and Bertram being old, grumpy, and in love is my favorite thing


End file.
